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Helping cities and towns prevent crime and improve community policing

Dr. Joel Caplan works with cities and towns to prevent crime, improve community policing, and make data-informed decisions that enhance public safety. He specializes in GIS mapping and crime pattern analysis, and co-developed Risk Terrain Modeling (RTM). RTM diagnoses environmental features that connect with crime. It helps people develop the best strategies for crime deterrence and prevention. RTM is the underlying technology behind Simsi, a Rutgers University start-up company. Joel is a Professor at Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice (SCJ) and serves as Director of the Rutgers Center on Public Security (RCPS) and Co-Executive Director of the Newark Public Safety Collaborative (NPSC). He has professional experience as a police officer, 9-1-1 dispatcher and emergency medical technician. Joel has published over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles and two books, “Risk-Based Policing: Evidence-Based Crime Prevention with Big Data and Spatial Analytics” (2018) and "Risk Terrain Modeling: Crime Prevention and Risk Reduction" (2016). His research on communities, crime and policing empowers multiple stakeholders with evidence to maximize resources and create safer and more secure environments. Joel earned his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania (2008) and is also a proud alumnus of Rutgers University (2004) and The College of New Jersey (2003).

Data-Informed
Community Engagement

Read the essay, with examples
Read the OpEd in the Washington Post
Read the book chapter, with a case study

Scholarship

Principled and professionally driven to
do work that serves a public good

Research | crime prevention & public safety
Teaching | skills for problem solving
Publications | books and articles

CV | download an updated curriculum vitae

Recent Research: